Posts tagged ‘divorce’

Today has been a really sad day. I feel like I’ve lost 6 months of healing in just one week. Wednesday was the verbal attack by ex1. Friday was verbal abuse via email from ex2. Saturday my washing machine died. Sunday I realized as I sent baby girl out the door with ex2 that I would only get to see her 5 hours in the next 3 weeks (which leaves him 499 hours in which to abuse her). Today I found out that the repair bill for the washer will be almost triple what I paid for the damn machine. *sigh* *super sigh* *tears*

I feel like I’ve died and gone right back to hell. AS IF the last year wasn’t a hell-fire and damnation story of epic proportions…now I get to do it all over again THIS year. Great…can’t wait…please note sarcasm.

Why am I on this earth? Why was I born in to a horrifically abusive family who made me the scapegoat? Why didn’t anyone ever intervene? Why didn’t any of my extended family ever love me? Why did God help me to escape only to put me thru 11 months of hell to regain some of what I lost? Why do I have to struggle every single day to provide for my children what most people take for granted…a safe home, a warm meal and a family who loves them.

Why do I keep going? What is the point? Where is all this leading?

Finances are my biggest stumbling block. Abuse I can handle. I’ve been abused my entire life so I know how to deal with that. But although court-ordered to do so, ex2 refuses to pay child support, daycare or medical expenses at all. ex1 pays but when he feels like it and he underreports his income to keep his payments as low as possible. What I’m left with is never having enough money to keep food on the table and my bills paid each month. And their bills…I’m still having to pay for their bills too. I’m always “borrowing” from next month’s paycheck to pay this month’s bills and its a scary place to be. I have no savings. My vehicle needs a ton of repairs AND new tires. I never know when I will get child support. My boss has been steering new clients towards my supervisor instead of to me…I’m even being abused in the workplace. *sigh*

I want to quit. I want to lay down and die in the middle of the road. I see no point in my life. Nothing ever changes…15 months out and just the same shit/different day every single week.

I’m still trying to process it. The attack. So quick that I never knew what hit me. Down the front steps, across the front lawn and in my face before I could say milk shake.

Let’s back up a minute. Baby girl is on week 1 of 4 week summer visitation with her dad. It has been HARD already. Last night was my evening with her and I texted the older kid’s dad to see if they could come over. To see baby girl, have milk shakes and get my oldest ready to go to camp. Mistake #1 given how contentious, toxic and angry he has been in the past 15 months. No reply from him. So industrious me loads up baby girl, picks up shakes and goes to the kids’ house to see them. Mistake #2. I shut off my vehicle, step out with an arm full of milk shakes and fury (aka ex #1) explodes out the front door of his residence. I say his residence because his gf owns the house and he just mooches off her by living there. Although I was informed last nite that he pays half the mortgage. To which I responded, “well that’s really stupid”. Mistake #3.

He exploded. Went nuclear. Screaming at me in front of my middle son and my youngest daughter. Refused to let the other kids come outside. As I stood in the driveway with an arm full of milk shakes and what could have only been a dumbfounded look on my face. Screaming about how I don’t communicate with him (I sent a text, no reply), how I FINALLY started paying for the kids (yeah, let’s not even go there), that I was trespassing, that he was going to try to take the kids from me on weekends and on and on and on. The neighbors now are aware of every grievance he’s had with me over the past year. And I do mean every one. And while I gave better than I got it all boiled down to one thing…a disordered, pathological person dumping all their “stuff” on me. Nothing new there.

I called the cops on my way home, shaking like a leaf and had them file a report. They felt talking to him would likely only make it worse on the kids (I found out this morning that gf had been physically blocking my kids from coming outside to see me) and I guess that makes sense. Except that this keeps escalating and maybe some police intervention, even a good talking to, might knock him down a peg or two. We have joint custody…these kids are NOT hostages…and his gf becoming involved upsets me even more. Don’t even get me started on her and her dysfunctions.

I couldn’t sleep last night. I just keep replaying it over and over. I spoke to my therapist after the cops left and we reviewed everything that happened. He’s been exploding more and more, she reminded me. Yes, he got in the face of an umpire at my son’s game last week and the night before this altercation had come off the bench at a remark made by an opposing coach. He’s a very angry person anyway. Yes, he was asked to stop coaching my son’s football game because of it. This guy has ISSUES. Yes, and he takes them all out on me. She reminded me that he does this – dumping all his problems on me and blaming everyone but himself. His life is a mess of his own making and I’m finally getting mine together. She brings me a lot of peace.

This morning I’m still in shock. That it even happened. That he was willing to escalate things to that level in front of so many witness’.

I find myself on a rollercoaster of emotion. I never know from day to day what my emotions, reactions, physical health or anything else will be. I have headaches like never before. I get triggered by things that I wouldn’t expect to bother me. The PTSD leaves me sleepless or overtired or fighting nightmares and waking up in a pool of sweat. I keep reminding myself that this is a journey…a process…an onion to be peeled back one layer at a time. Even that is frustrating to me when I just WANT IT ALL TO GO AWAY! But in the meantime I am working on being more grateful…for the big things, the little things and the acts of God that leave me so humbled.

My daughter had to have yet another medical procedure in March. I knew it was going to be expensive but even AFTER insurance the bill was $2,400. Then I remembered that my medical reimbursement account provided by my employer hadn’t kicked in yet. I got notified yesterday that they are paying all but $960 of it. Awesome!

This morning my attorney called to tell me that the ex wants his back due child support forgiven (+ or – $2,600) and he’s willing to forgive the judgement ($2,600) against me if I do. My attorney has already set up a hearing on the judgement for next week to get it reduced based on the fact that he is withholding my property to the tune of $1,900. This is all just a game to him. It makes me really angry. He hasn’t paid daycare since March, child support since April and he hasn’t paid any medical bills for our daughter since I left him in early 2011. However, I am so blessed to have an attorney who is willing to take payments and just keep grinding away at this. I have sole custody thanks to this attorney (and God, of course) and that has been my greatest blessing out of this nightmare.

My final blessing of the day is that my older kids are home from vacation with their dad and I will see them all tonite! My baby girl can’t wait to see them – she has asked about them every day this week. Our house seems strangely empty without all their busy-ness!

I’ve been a walking heartache
I’ve made a mess of me
The person that I’ve been lately
Ain’t who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me
Watch as the storm goes through
And I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

There’s more here than what were seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
Ill be the flattered fool
And I need you

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you

On my own I’m only
Half of what I could be
I can’t do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I pray we never undo

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you, gave me you
Gave me you

What a waste. Of my time. Of my youth. Of my love. Years spent that I will never get back.

I’m still deep in the grief of my loss. I have a wonderful grasp of the reality of my situation but it doesn’t change the overwhelming sadness I feel for my loss. I miss the him I thought I knew. I miss the him who pretended to love me. I miss the joy I felt when he got home from trucking. I miss waking up wrapped in his arms. I miss the home we shared and the yard I tended to for us. I miss my life.

I have hit rock bottom today, Lord. The news that my 2 completely f-ed up ex’s are working together is the ultimate nail in the coffin and the full weight of it is pounding down on me. My daycare provider is waffling on helping me fight my abuser and actually said today, “maybe I just wish he’d be a better dad”. Yeah, well, I wished too and look where I ended up! I am exhausted, overwhelmed, disappointed, betrayed, frustrated, disgusted and stunned. By it all. Wondering where and if this nightmare will ever end. I don’t know if I can keep going. I can’t even feel safe in my own home or be myself around my children. How much more can you possibly dish out to me before I just quit? How do I possibly keep being this strong every single day? Every time I start to turn a corner, get my shit together, feel less afraid and have a good day or two…MORE $HIT HAPPENS.

Please help me see that this going to get better. I have trusted you, continued in faith, listened to your voice, felt my baby leap, studied your word and acted according to your will. How much more suffering will I have to endure before my enemies are defeated and my reward delivered?